The cave wasn’t narrow. On the contrary, a Giant Dragon could pass through it without any obstruction, a testant to just how spacious it was.
Ronin observed his surroundings as he walked. He noticed that the walls were perfectly smooth, as if they had been specially polished. There were also lighting fixtures mounted on them, and the purplish-red glow he had seen from outside the cave at night was coming from these very devices.
"Magic Crystal Lamps?"
Ronin took one of the lighting fixtures down from the wall. Its shape was different from the Magic Crystal Lamps in Wushan Castle. ’I wonder what the internal structure is,’ he thought.
"These lamps go out. I’ve often seen people take them down, pour Energy into them, and then they light up again."
Carlos recounted what he had witnessed. "Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many tis Natalia and the others have done this."
’A rechargeable device?’
Ronin’s eyes lit up. "Elron, take a couple of these back with you to study."
"Yes, Sir!"
Elron couldn’t understand what Carlos was saying, but he was also curious about the lights on the wall. As soon as he heard Ronin’s command, he couldn’t resist walking over and taking one down himself.
Wushan Castle already had rechargeable Magic Crystal Lamps, but they were far more expensive, and their manufacturing process was naturally much more advanced than the ordinary kind. Ronin had no experience in this area, but he figured he could look into it when he had the ti.
Granted, this kind of research was even more expensive than Elron’s production of Magic Potions. So Senior Mages who were obsessed with such pursuits had even bankrupted themselves over it.
’But mastering a technology, and the resources that co with it, is an asset in itself. If I ever need it one day, I won’t have to scramble for information or beg others for help.’
After a brief pause, the two n and the dragon continued forward.
The cave system had corridors, great halls, and even secret chambers and rooms. It was like a castle built inside a mountain.
The only unpleasant aspect was the poor air circulation, which resulted in a foul odor.
"Master, this is the altar that was used to control ."
Carlos led them around a corridor and into another fairly spacious chamber.
In the center of the room stood a circular altar carved with intricate patterns. From Ronin’s experience, it appeared to be the diagram of a Magic Array—and an extrely advanced one at that.
He knew this because when he focused his Spiritual Power to examine it, he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his mind.
"How did Natalia operate it?" Ronin asked.
Carlos walked to one side. "She would pour Energy into this handprint here to activate the Magic Array on the altar."
"Oh?"
Curious, Ronin walked over and tried to pour his Fighting Qi into the handprint, but the Magic Array showed no reaction.
He then tried infusing it with his Magic Power, but the result was the sa.
"Elron, you give it a try."
The Light Mage followed Ronin’s example and poured his Magic Power into the handprint, only for his hand to be flung back by a sudden force.
"Sir, I can feel it rejecting ."
Ronin was surprised. There had been no reaction at all when he infused it with his Fighting Qi or Magic Power, yet Elron was actively repelled. This could only an one thing: activating this Magic Array required an Extraordinary Energy of a specific Attribute.
As for the Light Attribute, Elron had been able to use his Purification Skill to dispel the lingering effects on Ridder’s injuries. This proved that the Light Attribute and the special Extraordinary Energy used by Natalia and her group were mutually repulsive, just as this situation demonstrated.
"Natalia used a type of black energy."
Carlos’s words confird Ronin’s suspicion.
’Energy of the Dark Attribute?’
Ronin frowned slightly. He was reminded of Lurans, who also wielded a type of Dark Energy. Moreover, the corrosive effect of Soul-Devouring Surge was sowhat similar to the after-effects of wounds inflicted by Natalia’s group.
Of course, it was only the effects that were similar; the corrosive process and its visible characteristics were distinctly different.
Still, this didn’t stop Ronin from wondering if there was so deeper connection between these two types of Energy.
"Master, this is the passage they used to transport food."
Carlos arrived before a doorway that was only a little over a ter wide. He was too large to pass through it.
"Let’s go take a look."
Ronin and Elron went through the doorway and descended a flight of stairs. At the bottom, they found a pool that was seven or eight ters in diater and three or four ters deep.
The walls of the pool were dotted with countless small, round holes, apparently for drainage. What really caught their attention, however, was the bottom of the pool, where another arcane Magic Array was inscribed.
"Sir, this Magic Array is different from the one above."
Ronin nodded slightly. He scanned the area and finally spotted the "switch" on a platform to his right. It was another handprint-shaped indentation.
Elron noticed it as well and volunteered, "I’ll give it a try."
This ti, the activation chanism didn’t repel him.
After Elron poured his Light Attribute Magic Power into it, the Magic Array below flared to life.
VMMMM—
A low hum sounded, followed by an explosive surge of multicolored light that plunged the entire chamber into a chaotic spectacle.
As the two n watched with a mix of curiosity, tension, and caution, seawater suddenly materialized, filling the pool.
That’s right—an entire pool of seawater, generated from thin air.
The light dissipated, and the Magic Array grew dormant once more.
Ronin stared at the scene in astonishnt. ’Is this summoning? Or teleportation?’
The water in the pool began to drain through the countless holes in the walls, flowing down a hidden channel to so unknown destination.
Once the water had completely drained, a number of plump fish were left behind, flopping about frantically as if trying to leap out and escape their fate.
But it was no use. The pool walls were too high and the drainage holes were too small for them to escape.
’This has to be teleportation.’
Ronin reasoned to himself. A summoning spell wouldn’t likely call forth so many different species. The pool contained several kinds of fish, both large and small, and even so shellfish and a sea turtle.
’If it’s teleportation, there must be a corresponding Teleportation Array at the other end, most likely built on the seabed.’
’Once this side is activated, it teleports the seawater and any creatures in the target area right over here.’
The explanation seed plausible. But regardless, using such an advanced thod just to catch fish was incredibly wasteful and frankly, mind-boggling.
"Elron, we should..."
He turned to the Great Physician, only to find Elron leaning against the wall, looking exhausted.
Ronin’s expression changed. ’Don’t tell this Magic Array has so kind of side effect?’ he worried.
"What’s wrong?" he asked, hurrying over.
Elron waved his hand dismissively. "Activating that Magic Array consud nearly half of my Magic Power and a great deal of my Spiritual Power. It’s a good thing I managed to recover so through ditation just before this, or I’d be completely exhausted right now."
Ronin breathed a sigh of relief. As long as there were no harmful side effects, it was fine.
It was only logical that activating a Teleportation Magic Array would consu a vast amount of Magic Power. It had been an oversight on their part not to consider it beforehand.
"Rest here for a bit."
As he spoke, Ronin jumped down into the pool and collected the catch, storing it in his Space Ring.
This ti, the haul wasn’t large—all told, it amounted to less than a cubic ter.
No wonder Carlos had said he was often hungry. With a fishing thod that consud so much Extraordinary Power, even if Natalia and her entire group took turns, they could probably only manage it five or six tis a day. With a bit of bad luck, they would indeed have very little to eat.
Ronin looked at the Magic Array, now visible again at the bottom of the drained pool. He knew its value was imasurable.
It was quite possibly the most valuable object in the entire cave.
’Teleportation... that should fall under Spatial Magic, right?’
The Seven Gods people often spoke of represented the seven Attributes: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Lightning, Light, and Darkness.
Ronin had never heard anyone ntion a Mage with the Spatial Attribute.
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